Regional Indicator 14: Low Birth Weight Rate

Why It's Important The World Health Organization uses the low birth weight rate as an indicator of general social condition. This indicator serves as a barometer of overall access to health and education services, and of the level of socioeconomic inequality. Low birth weight newborns have a substantially higher rate of post birth illness and death. In addition, long-term health problems, lower IQ and academic achievement, increased disabilities and hospitalization rates are associated with low birth weight. Factors that contribute to low birth weight are socio-economic status, social support, stress and personal habits.

Regional Indicator Fourteen is based on the number of infants born weighing less than 2,500 grams. The lowest ratio earns the best rank.

On average, between 1998 and 2007, 5.4 percent of infants in Vancouver weighed less than 2,500 grams at birth. Vancouver had the highest average and the lowest, 4.9 percent, was in Abbotsford.

The low birth weight ratio is fairly volatile but average values are quite close. The smallest difference being 0.1 percent between Regional BC and Victoria and the largest being 11.7 percent between Abbotsford and Vancouver.

The 2007 rate of low weight births was above the 1998 rate in all five regional Health Authorities. However, BC performs well on this indicator whether compared to other provinces, US states or OECD nations.